Multitubular pressure tank

ABSTRACT

In a pressure tank a plurality of elongated tubular members are arranged in juxtaposed relation. A tank head closes the respective ends of the tubular members and provides communication therebetween. A baffle member, within each tubular member, forms an air chamber to place fluid in the tubes under a desired pressure.

United States Patent McFarland [S4] MULTITUBULAR PRESSURE TANK [72]Inventor: Lorrell C. McFarland, 417 East 12, Claremore, Okla. 74017 [22]Filed: Mar. 20, 1970 21] Appl. No.: 21,326

[151 3,642,163 1 Feb. 15, 1972 2,679,948 6/1954 Deardorff ..220/93 X3,292,324 12/1966 Cole ..220/23.2 X

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 725,452 1/1966 Canada 1220/20 268,3874/1928 ltaly ..220/855 Primary ExaminerGeorge E. Lowrance [521 US. Cl...220/5 A, 220/20, 220/232, AnorneyRobert K. Rhea 220/93 [51] Int. Cl...B6Sd 87/06, 865d 87/ 1 6 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search ..220/20,23.2, 932,211; In a pressure tank a plurality of elongated tubularmembers are arranged in juxtaposed relation. A tank head closes therespective ends of the tubular members and provides commu- [561References Clted nication therebetween. A baffle member, within eachtubular UNITED STATES PATENTS member, forms an air chamber to placefluid in the tubes under a desired pressure. 3,151,760 10/1964 Cowley..220/ 3,273,741 9/1966 Faunce ..220/93 X 3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figuresbfo'i v FIG. I

" LORRELL C. MSFARLAND INVENTOP.

INVENTOR AGENT SHEET 2 OF 2 FIG.4

FIG. 3

PATENTEUFEB 15 I972 LORRELL C. MSFARLAND MULTITUBULAR PRESSURE TANKBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A Field of the Invention The presentinvention relates to pressure tanks and more particularly to afluid-containing pressure tank formed by a plurality of relatively smalltubular members.

Tanks formed of synthetic materials, such as plastic, are needed forstoring soft water, sulphur water, acids or other materials which tendto oxidize or corrode metallic con tainers. In order to dispenseerrosive fluids it is usually necessary that they be contained undergreater than atmospheric pressure which usually requires a thickenedwall structure to contain the necessary pressure. Furthermore, spacelimitations for conventional tanks precludes their use in manyinstallations. To fully utilize available space in some installationsnecessitates forming a tank having a configuration conforming to theavailable space which heretofore has been impractical from an economicviewpoint. I have found that a pressure tank may be formed by using aplurality of tubular members arranged in parallel juxtaposed relationand connected for intercommunication at their respective ends by aheader. The relatively small, size of the tubes used, such as plastic,copper or aluminum, permits the necessary pressure for exhausting thefluid out of the tubes and eliminates the necessity for a thickened wallstructure. Furthermore, as one or more of the tubes has the fluidexhausted therefrom these tubes can be individually closed whileutilizing the fluid from the remaining tubes. A baffle, slidably sealingwith the interior of each tube, divides the tube to form a liquid and anair compartment to place the liquid under a greater than atmosphericpressure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A plurality of relatively small tubular membersare arranged in parallel juxtaposed relation. A header extendstransversely across the respective ends of the tubes and is providedwith sockets surrounding and sealing with the adjacent end portion ofthe respective tube. The header further provides communication betweenthe tube ends for admitting air at one end and admitting and removingfluid from the opposite end.

A baffle or divider, slidably sealing with the interior wall surface ofthe respective tube, forms an air chamber at one end of each tube and aliquid chamber at the opposite end thereof.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a pressure tank ofsubstantially any desired transverse configuration which is formed by aplurality of tubular members arranged in juxtaposed relation andinterconnected at their respective ends by a header.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectionalview, partially in elevation, of a preferred embodiment of the device;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are vertical cross-sectional views of alternativeembodiments of the device;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 44 ofFIG. 3; and,

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, are transverse cross-sectional views of alternativeconfigurations of the tank forming tubes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS vided with a like plurality ofrelatively sort tubes fonning sockets 22 open toward and coaxiallysurrounding the respective adjacent end portions of the tubes 12 and 14.The free end of the circular wall forming the sockets 12 isdiametrically enlarged, as at 24, and provided with an annular groove onits inner surface adjacent its free end for receiving a circular seal,such as an Oring 26. The purpose of the sockets and O-ring sealconnecting the ends of the tubes 12 and 14 is so that the overall lengthof the tank 10 may be easily adjusted to conform to the spacing betweenthe base, indicated by the line 28, and an overhead beam or support,indicated at 30. Tube connectors 32 only one being shown, extend throughthe walls forming the sockets 22 of the top header to providecommunication between the upper ends of the tubes 12 and 14.

A valve 34, connected with the upper plate 20, admits air under pressureto the respective tubes. Similarly other tube connectors 36, only onebeing shown, projecting through the walls 22 of the lower header 16,provide communication between the tubes 12 and 14. Each of the tubeconnectors 32 and 36 project into the respective socket 22 a distancesufficient to limit longitudinal movement of either of the tubes 12 vand 14 to insure that the seal 26 maintains contact with the peripheryof the respective tube.

A cylindericallike member or block 38 is slidably received within therespective tube 12 and 14 and forms a baffle defining an air compartment40 a one end of the tubes and a fluid containing compartment 42 at theopposite end portion. The baffle is provided with a circumferentialrecess or groove for nesting a circular seal, such as an O-ring 44, tomaintain the air and fluid and in the respective compartments. Thepurpose of the cylindrical shape of the baffle 38 is to maintain aninnerface between the air and water transversely of the respective tubeso that the entire device 10 may be positioned horizontally or at anyangle between horizontal and vertical and maintain a supply of fluid atthe exit header end 16.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, a fluid supply from a well 46 is connectedby piping 48 to one of the sockets 22 with fluid obtained from the wellby a motor M driving a pump P to force fluid through a check valve CK.The fluid contained by the tank 10 is drawn off through a valve 50.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a substantially identical tank is indicated at10A wherein the header plates 20A, projecting beyond the limits of thetubes 12 and 14, are interconnected by bolts and nuts 52 to preventmovement of the respective header l6 and 18 away from the tube ends.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the device, indicated generally at 108,comprising a plurality of the tubes 12A and 14A are connected by lowerand upper tubular type headers 60 and 62, respectively. Each of theseheaders comprise a main tube having lateral tubes 64 projectingcoaxially toward the respective end of the tubes 12A and 14A.

A cap 66 is threadedly connected with the respective end of each of thetubes 12A and 14A and seals therewith by circular packing 68. Each ofthe caps 66 is provided with an axial opening defined by an externallythreaded projection 70 engaged by a packing nut 72 surrounding theadjacent respective end of the lateral tubes 64 to provide communicationbetween the ends of the tubes 12A and 14A and the respective headers 60and 62. The upper header tube 62 is provided with the air inlet valve 34while the lateral tubes of the lower header tube 60 each have a valve 74interposed therein for interrupting and releasing fluid flow from therespective tube 12A or 14A. These tubes 12A and 14A are similarlyprovided with the baffles 38. Stabilizers 76, each comprising a sheet ofmaterial of selected thickness, are provided with apertures 78 coaxiallysurrounding the respective tubes 12A and 14A to prevent any lateralmovement or axial displacement of these tubes intermediate their ends.While the preferred form of the tubes 12A and 14A is shown circularobviously they may be formed of any other cross-sectional configurationor any combination thereof, as shown by FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, so that thetubes forming the tank may more efficiently utilize the availabletransverse space in their juxtaposed relation.

Obviously the invention is susceptible to changes or alteradistanceslightly less than the length of said relatively tions without defeatingits practicability, therefore, I do not short tubes, and tube connectorsextending between wish to be confined to the preferred embodiment shownin the and communicating with said relatively short tubes drawings anddescribed herein. between said plates and the adjacent end of said elon-I claim: 5 gated tubular members; and, 1 l. A multitubular pressuretank, comprising: reciprocable baffle means dividing each said tubular aplurality of juxtaposed elongated tubular members; member to form afluid containing chamber and an air header means at opposite ends ofsaid tubular members in- Chamber terconnecting the respective endportions of said tubular stfuctul'e as Specified in claim 1 in whicheach Said baffle members, means comprises a cylindrical member having acircumh id h d means comprising a plate, a lik l liferential ring ofpacking material slidably contacting the inner ty of relatively shorttubes secured to said plate and Periphery Ofeach tubular member- 3.Structure as specified in claim 2 and further including:

a stabilizer transversely spanning and individually surrounding anintermediate circumferential portion of each said plurality of tubularmembers for preventing axial displacement of said tubular members in alateral direction.

forming sockets coaxially receiving, slidably, one end portion of therespective said tubular member, each said relatively short tube having agroove in its inner periphery intermediate its ends, a sealing ringwithin the groove, the spacing between said plates being greater thanthe length of said tubular members a

1. A multitubular pressure tank, comprising: a plurality of juxtaposedelongated tubular members; header means at opposite ends of said tubularmembers interconnecting the respective end portions of said tubularmembers, each said header means comprising a plate, a like plurality ofrelatively short tubes secured to said plate and forming socketscoaxially receiving, slidably, one end portion of the respective saidtubular member, each said relatively short tube having a groove in itsinner periphery intermediate its ends, a sealing ring within the groove,the spacing between said plates being greater than the length of saidtubular members a distance slightly less than the length of saidrelatively short tubes, and tube connectors extending between andcommunicating with said relatively short tubes between said plates andthe adjacent end of said elongated tubular members; and, reciprocablebaffle means dividing each said tubular member to form a fluidcontaining chamber and an air chamber.
 2. Structure as specified inclaim 1 in which each said baffle means comprises a cylindrical memberhaving a circumferential ring of packing material slidably contactingthe inner periphery of each tubular member.
 3. Structure as specified inclaim 2 and further including: a stabilizer transversely spanning andindividually surrounding an intermediate circumferential portion of eachsaid plurality of tubular members for preventing axial displacement ofsaid tubular members in a lateral direction.